1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to communication methods of a monitoring device used in a pet containment system, and, more particularly, to communication methods of fault notification detected by a monitoring device by a pet containment systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
The Assignee of the present invention currently manufactures the Invisible Sentry System, which is designed to continuously monitor the containment signal that a containment transmitter sends a buried signal field wire. The current system includes a loop monitor module and a LCD display module. The loop monitor monitors the containment signal transmission to detect any changes in signal amplitude or signal frequency. These changes can indicate a break in the antenna wire, failure of the transmitter, or tampering with the transmitter settings has occurred after the loop monitor has been set up and calibrated to monitor the buried signal field wire. When the containment signal amplitude or frequency changes beyond predetermined limits, the loop monitor detects these changes. The loop monitor then conveys an alarm signal to the display module, with an audible alarm and a message being displayed on the LCD display module.
Animal containment systems include a transmitter that transmits a signal along the buried signal field wire, also known as a loop antenna to define a boundary for containment or the exclusion of an animal wearing the receiver collar. The receiver collar receives a signal from the loop antenna and the signal is processed to determine the proximity of the animal to the loop antenna. If the animal is within a predetermined distance of the loop antenna a stimulus is delivered to the animal to warn or alert the animal that it should avoid the boundary area.
What is needed in the art is a method and apparatus to provide for remote alert notification of any failures of the containment system.